A Botanical Extract from Channel Flow Inhibits Cell Proliferation, Induces Apoptosis, and Suppresses CCL5 in Human Endometriotic Stromal Cells.

Biol Reprod. 2009 Apr 29; Wieser F, Yu J, Park J, Gaeddert A, Cohen M, Vigne JL, Taylor RNGrowing evidence suggests that medicinal herbs have direct actions on endometrial cells. By screening multiple herbs using an in vitro model of endometriosis we found that a commonly used herbal formulae exerted considerable anti-proliferative effects. Our purpose was to investigate the effects of this anti-endometriosis herbal mixture on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and CCL5 expression and secretion in endometriotic stromal cells in vitro. Isolated normal endometrial, eutopic, and ectopic endometriotic stromal cells were cultured under established conditions. Cell proliferation, apoptosis and CCL5 gene expression protein secretion was evaluated after incubation with different concentrations of an anti-endometriosis herbal mixture extract. Cell proliferation was assessed by cell counting, (3)H-thymidine incorporation and MTT assays. Apoptosis was determined by blotting using anti-cleaved caspase 3 antibodies, and by a TUNEL assay. CCL5 gene expression and protein secretion were determined by transient transfection of gene promoter reporters and ELISAs in cell supernatants. Extracts of a traditional herbal mixture dose-dependently decreased cell proliferation in normal, eutopic, and ectopic endometriotic stromal cells. (3)H-Thymidine uptake and MTT confirmed these findings. The herbal extracts induced apoptosis evidenced by activation of caspase 3, and presence of TUNEL positive cells after treatment. The herbal extracts also suppressed CCL5 gene transcription and protein secretion in endometriotic stromal cells, even when corrected for cell number. Extracts from a medicinal herbal mixture have direct effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis and CCL5 production in endometriotic stromal cells. Our findings support the further investigation of novel, potentially safe and well-tolerated botanical products as future endometriosis treatments.

Clinical observation on treatment of colonic cancer with combined treatment of chemotherapy and Chinese herbal medicine.

Chin J Integr Med. 2009 Apr; 15(2): 107-11Zhou LY, Shan ZZ, You JLOBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of combined chemotherapy and Chinese herbal medicine in treating colonic cancer. METHODS: One hundred and sixty-three patients were assigned, according to their will, to two groups, 105 in the traditional Chinese medicine treated group (Group A) and 58 in the combined treatment group (Group B). The Chinese herbal drug Zhao's Weitiao No. 3 ( 3, ZW3) was given to both groups, twice a day, 40 mL each time, 30 days as one cycle, and over 6 cycles applied in total. For patients in Group B, the chemotherapy of OLF protocol (L-OHP+LV+5-FU) was given for 4-6 cycles. The effects of treatment on the main symptoms, tumor mass, patients' quality of life (QOL) and body weight, changes of carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), as well as the integral effect and survival rate were observed and compared. RESULTS: The total effective rate in Group A and Group B was 89.52% and 86.21% respectively, on the main clinical symptoms; 86.67% and 93.10% on tumor mass, 82.86% and 77.59% on QOL, 85.71% and 75.86% on body weight and 76.19% and 79.31% on CEA. The integral efficacy of total beneficial rate was 73.33% and 68.97%; and the 3-year survival rate 49.52% and 46.65% in Group A and Group B. These data showed that the effect in Group A was better than in Group B in terms of clinical symptom improvement, QOL, body weight and integral beneficence increase and survival rate, though it was inferior in reducing the tumor mass and CEA level. CONCLUSION: Chinese drug ZW3 for the treatment of colonic cancer could improve the main clinical symptoms, improve the QOL, increase body weight and prolong the survival time of patients, showing a favorable integral effect.

Antifungal activity of tea tree oil from Melaleuca alternifolia against Trichophyton equinum: An in vivo assay.

Phytomedicine. 2009 Apr 27; Pisseri F, Bertoli A, Nardoni S, Pinto L, Pistelli L, Guidi G, Mancianti FDermatophytes are a group of keratinophilic and keratinolytic molds, some of which are responsible for ringworm. Among them Trichophyton equinum, which mostly infects equids, can cause extensive outbreaks in stud farms. The conventional treatment of equine trichophytosis is topic, based upon medicated shampoos to reduce the spread of infection among the animals. Nevertheless the popularity of phytotherapy is at an all-time peak, and the interest for natural alternatives or complements to conventional drug therapy is challenging both in human and veterinary field. Among herbal remedia Tea Tree Oil (TTO) shows a wide range of antimicrobial activities. A randomized open clinical trial was carried out on 60 thoroughbred breeding horses affected by equine ringworm. The animals were randomly divided into 2 groups of 30 subjects. Diagnostic criteria were the presence of clinical signs and positive T. equinum culture. Specificity control using TTO mixture in 5 not dermatophyte affected animals was achieved also. The antimycotic activity against T. equinum of a mixture containing 25% TTO in sweet almond oil, was evaluated in vivo treating 30 subjects, the others were administered enilconazole 2% solution. The animals of both groups were topically treated twice a day for 15 days with a 25% mixture of TTO diluted in sweet almond oil and every 3 days, four times with enilconazole rinses, respectively. The clinical and mycological outcome were evaluated at day 30 from the start of the treatments. Data analysis was performed by chi square test. All the treated animals showed complete clinical and aetiological healing. Part of control subjects also, showed an improvement and none of them exacerbate the lesions. This therapeutic protocol appears to be effective and versatile, being applicable immediately after physical examination, prior to have the laboratory response. It could be an alternative for practitioners interested in herbal medicines, contributing to fulfill the gap existing between in vitro and clinical studies.

The Neuroprotective Effect of Methanol Extract of Gagamjungjihwan and Fructus Euodiae on Ischemia-Induced Neuronal and Cognitive Impairment in the Rat.

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2009 Apr 24; Lee B, Choi EJ, Lee EJ, Han SM, Hahm DH, Lee HJ, Shim IGagamjungjihwan (GJ), a decoction consisting of five herbs including ginseng, Acori Graminei Rhizoma, Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus, Polygalae Radic and Frustus Euodiae (FE), has been widely used as herbal treatment for ischemia. In order to investigate the neuroprotective action of this novel prescription, we examined the influence of GJ and FE on learning and memory using the Morris water maze and studied their affects on the central cholinergic system in the hippocampus with neuronal and cognitive impairment. After middle cerebral artery occlusion was applied for 2 h, rats were administered GJ (200 mg kg(-1), p.o.) or FE (200 mg kg(-1), p.o.) daily for 2 weeks, followed by training and performance of the Morris water maze tasks. Rats with ischemic insults showed impaired learning and memory of the tasks. Pre-treatment with GJ and FE produced improvement in the escape latency to find the platform. Pre-treatments with GJ and FE also reduced the loss of cholinergic immunoreactivity in the hippocampus. The results demonstrated that GJ and FE have a protective effect against ischemia-induced neuronal and cognitive impairment. Our results suggest that GJ and FE might be useful in the treatment of vascular dementia.